NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
TRAGEDY.
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YOUNG lovers lend an ear I'm sure you'll shed a tear
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When you the same shall hear which I unfold,
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Twill make your heart to bleed when farther I proceed,
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A damsel's story true as ever was told.
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In fair Northamptonshire as I to you declare,
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There lived two noblemen of vast estates,
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Each had a daughter dear as for truth we hear,
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But yet alas! unhappy was their fates.
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One was of a beauteous mould the other as its told,
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Was much deformed and inferior too,
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The other a beauty clear but you soon shall hear,
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Her craftiness did this lady soon undo.
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A noble knight of fame to court this beauty came,
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Protesting if she would not grant his love,
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He was quite ruined no comfort day or night
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O ease me of my pain ye powers above.
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Why did this lovely fair my tender heart ensnare?
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O Cupid let your tender arrows fly,
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And wound her heart as mine and make her be as kind,
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For if she will not love for her I die.
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At last we find he to her told his mind,
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Who courteously to him th[i]s answer made,
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Your suit I must deny kind sir I tell you why,
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I think I am too young as yet to wed.
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But lovely maid said he can you thus cruel be,
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Let not those charming eyes such darts let fly,
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O cure a love-sick heart and ease me of my smart,
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Or else for you my dearest love I die.
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Sir tell me not of love you may inconstant prove,
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I know such things they are often found,
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My years they are yet too green I am not yet fifteen,
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I'm sure I do not know what love doth mean.
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Thus night and day would he with this lady be,
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At last she did consent to be his bride,
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First ask my father pray let him appoint the day,
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And if he's willing I'm satisfied.
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O charming sound I hear that you will be my dear,
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Thou beauteous goddess whom I adore,
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Since you're constant at last now my sorrows are past,
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Instead of grief I have comfort in store.
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He to her father went and asked his consent,
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Immediately he to him thus did say,
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She is too young indeed it must be thus agreed,
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If that you have her you for her must stay.
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With all my heart he cried if she is my bride,
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I do not mind for her how long I stay,
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Tis she I do adore and shall for evermore,
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With kisses sweet hey past the time away.
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OBSERVE the second part how he did her betray,
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Her heart he stole away and then defiled,
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Her lovely body too and proved her overthrow,
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For alas! by him she did prove with child.
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Soon as he knew the same he left the lovely dame,
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And to her neighbour a courting did go,
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Tho' crooked and deformed for her this beauty scorn'd,
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Which caused her lovely eyes with tears to flow.
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Letters she oft did send with expressions kind,
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Saying what do you mean dear love I pray,
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That you from me fly and will not come nigh,
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O cruel man my heart thus to betray.
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No answer she receiv'd from her love indeed,
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At length unto the coachman she did say,
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Dear John one thing I crave I'll make you fine and brave,
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If you'll my council keep and not betray.
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This diamond ring so bright bear it to the gallant knight,
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Brave Stanford that sweet name it doth bear,
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Also this letter pray give it him to day,
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Or else my heart in pieces I must tear,
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The coachman was amazed and on his lady gazed,
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Unto the perjured knight away he went,
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His message did declare---Go tell your lady fair,
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To come to her this day was my intent.
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Soon as he come he approach'd the room,
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The charming lady's bloom like roses sweet,
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Her crimson cheeks forsook e'er a word she spoke,
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In a swoon she dropt down at his feet.
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He strove her to revive and finding her alive,
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What means your grief I beg now let me hear,
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Her lilly hands she wrung twas a deluding tongue,
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O pity me for my sweet infant dear!
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Its striving in my womb perform your promise come,
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Blast not my honour bide my shame I pray,
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Look on the ring I beg think on the oath you made,
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Which you swore to me night and day.
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With countenance most grim he at her cast the ring,
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Think not vile wretch thy case I deplore,
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No more thy face I'll see no more send f[or] me,
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I will not own a bastard or a whore.
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Good people do but think what grief she underwent,
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To hear this purjured creature thus degrade,
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Her charms unto her face who did her thus disgrace,
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Whose flattery at her heart he betrayed.
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At last her father dear beheld his daughter fair,
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With sorrow overflowed to her he said,
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What ails my daughter dear do pray let me hear,
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The reason I must know this very day.
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I am very ill she cried let me not be denied,
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One thing that I desire dear father pray,
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That I do take the air may to my aunt's repair,
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If not my father's will must be obeyed.
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HER father did consent she to her aunt was sent,
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Her coach to attend her also,
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Her aunt did quickly spy wherein her grief did lie,
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And the truth he quickly then did know.
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Her aunt was just and good her best friend she stood,
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At last the time was come this lady fair,
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Must delivered be a lovely son had she,
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Which was much cause to her of grief and bare.
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As she delivered were she called the coachman there,
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To heaven made him swear for to be true,
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Here take these guineas bright go to the false knight,
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And give to him the rings and letter to.
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Soon to the knight he went and gave the things she sent,
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Who opened the same it did unfold,
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When he read the same a trecherous laugh did frame,
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Saying I wonder at this strumpet bold.
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Me of her son to tell I wish they were in hell,
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I think it would be well if they were there,
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Go tell her what I say and come no more I pray,
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So then in pieces the letter he did tear.
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He to the lady came and to her told the same,
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O creature most profane my infant dear,
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May rest in heaven high while thy sad soul doth fry,
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In cruel torment where you wish we were.
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In bitter grief she lay tormented night and day,
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At length her infant died by her side,
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This made her grief more and more she kiss'd o'er and o'er,
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My father I will see what e'er betide.
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At length she weary grew I'll to my father go,
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Dear aunt I pray let none my secret know,
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So farewell she cried let heaven be your guide,
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I'll seek for him that proved my overthrow.
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She to her father came who did her entertain,
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Most lovingly saying my daughter dear,
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I'm glad to see you well strange news I have to tell,
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Your love is married this day I do declare.
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She seemed discontent and from her father went,
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Ye furies now come strike into my brain,
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Some project that I may him see,
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And let me be revenged for this disdain.
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Her lover as we hear did each day repair,
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To take the air within a silent grove,
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To take the air read some diverting play,
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He'd sit and let his wandering fancy rove.
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She understood the same and calling to her man,
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And smiling unto [h]im she thus did say,
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Stanford as I do hear does to a grove repair,
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A project's come in my head this day.
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I'll get a friar's dress a visit I protest,
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I am resolved to him to pay,
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And crave his charity while he doth look on me,
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I'm sure to speak to him I'll find a way.
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The dress she did prepare with things fit and rare,
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Her coachman ready in the afternoon,
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Drove down a narrow lane behind the grove it came,
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Now stop said she you'll see the fancy soon.
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Out of the coach she came the friar's dress put on,
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And when she had disguis'd herself all o'er,
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A curious basket tine she round her arm did twine,
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Then went his charity to implore.
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Most noble knight so brave your charity I crave,
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I hope you will me relieve before you go,
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Yes that I will said he but pray now let me see,
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Methinks I something of that voice do know.
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She by his side did stand and took him by the hand,
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And with the other out a pistol drew,
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And let it off with speed to do this wicked deed,
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The bullet went to his body thro' and thro'.
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He fell down dead indeed she stript off the friar's weed,
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Now Stanford worthy friend 'tis I,
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Have done the bloody deed caused thy heart to bleed,
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Now thou art rewarded for thy treachery.
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She cast her friar's weed over her head with speed,
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Her ceachman saw the thing she had done,
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He trembled every limb and straightway took her in,
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And then like lightening home he drove.
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But as he drove along the coach did overturn,
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A most unhappy doom this lady she,
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Her arm she broke in two the coachman's leg also,
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In misery they lay all the afternoon,
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The fir[s]t that saw them there was a servant we hear.
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Of the murdered knight a coming there,
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To fetch his master dear seeing this lady fair,
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Had by some false traitors heen misus'd.
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Then turning back again he found his master slain,
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So going home to tell this fatal hews,
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And that there were thought this lady fair,
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Carried them to her father I declare.
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The lady of this knight unto her bore a spite,
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And had her apprehended out of hand,
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She did confess the deed and soon told with speed,
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And the whole truth she let them understand.
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She was condemn'd to die her father's gold did fly,
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Like chaff before the wind her life to save,
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It would not save her life for the knight's cruel wife,
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She said her life her life is all I crave.
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The fatal day was come she must receive her doom,
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When thousands went to hear what she did say,
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When she came to the tree both old and young said she,
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Now a warning take by me this very day.
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FIRST parents have a care if e'er your children dear,
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Think fit to marry do not them deny,
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For fear that love at last should their glory blast,
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As may be seen by my sad destiny.
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Next maidens all beware and have a special care,
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Of men's deceitful tongues that flattering train,
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For if you do consent to your great discontent,
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When they have you betrayed they will you disdain.
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Likewise false men I say beware how you betray,
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Poor innocents it may be your ruin,
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When love doth turn to hate the malice is so great,
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That your destruction does your fancy prove.
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As for example I poor wretched soul must die,
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The deed I don't deny for I [di]d kill,
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The man I lov'd so dear who scorn'd my beauty fair,
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For one that was deformed, but yet I still
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Unto the world must own my heart is with him gone,
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O welcome death come execute I pray,
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The tragic part perform. O Lord I come I come,
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O Lord receive my soul that's gone astray.
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After she spoke the hangman fix'd the rope,
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The cart it drew away the earth it shook,
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The cries they were so great that the people did make,
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When this lady fair the world forsook.
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